Abstract
Background and objective. A growing body of scientific literature highlights the negative consequences of employment insecurity on several life domains. This study focuses on the young adult labour force in Italy, investigating the relationship between employment insecurity and mental health and whether this has changed after years of economic downturn. It enhances understanding by addressing differences in mental health according to several employment characteristics; and by exploring the role of respondents’ economic situation and educational level.
Data and Methods. Data from a large-scale, nationally representative health survey are used to estimate the relationship between employment insecurity and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI), by means of multiple linear regressions.
Results and Conclusions. The study demonstrates that employment insecurity is associated with poorer mental health. Moreover, neither temporary workers nor unemployed individuals are a homogeneous group. Previous job experience is important in differentiating the mental health risks of unemployed individuals; and the effects on mental health vary according to occupational status and to the amount of time spent in a condition of insecurity. Further, the experience of financial difficulties partly explains the relationship between employment insecurity and mental health; and different mental health outcomes depend on respondents’ educational level. Lastly, the risks of reporting poorer mental health were higher in 2013 than in 2005.
Data and Methods. Data from a large-scale, nationally representative health survey are used to estimate the relationship between employment insecurity and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI), by means of multiple linear regressions.
Results and Conclusions. The study demonstrates that employment insecurity is associated with poorer mental health. Moreover, neither temporary workers nor unemployed individuals are a homogeneous group. Previous job experience is important in differentiating the mental health risks of unemployed individuals; and the effects on mental health vary according to occupational status and to the amount of time spent in a condition of insecurity. Further, the experience of financial difficulties partly explains the relationship between employment insecurity and mental health; and different mental health outcomes depend on respondents’ educational level. Lastly, the risks of reporting poorer mental health were higher in 2013 than in 2005.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 90-98 |
| Journal | Social Science and Medicine |
| Volume | 153 |
| Early online date | 9 Feb 2016 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2016 |
Keywords
- Employment insecurity
- Mental health
- Young adult labour force
- Italy
- Economic recession
Access to Document
- Fiori_Employment_SS&M_AM
Copyright © 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.02.010